José Velásquez defeats Daniela Silva for District 3 seat

José Velásquez, an activist and fourth-generation Austinite, is set to be District 3’s City Council member after beating out his runoff challenger Daniela Silva on Tuesday night. Velásquez received 4,165 votes for 53.32 percent of the vote, while Silva received 3,646 votes for 46.68 percent. 

“We’re ready to hit the ground running on day one,” Velásquez told the Monitor.

Both ran on progressive values in their bid to replace Council Member Pio Renteria, with Velásquez touting his Affordable Austin plan with its proposals for free pre-K, expanded broadband access and expanded remote work. 

From an election night party at East Sixth Street bar La Perla, Velásquez said the crowd exploded with cheers as results trickled in. 

“We’re surrounded by generations of Austinites, new Austinites, old-school Austinites,” Velásquez said. “That’s really the representation that we bring to Council – new and old Austin, coming together to get work done for the city.” 

On the trail, he scored key endorsements from former Council Member Greg Casar and his successor Chito Vela, along with community activist Susana Almanza, founder of East Austin environmental justice group PODER. 

Velásquez’s win came with a wider margin than the two points he and Silva were separated by in November, and he said he was honored to be in the race with her. 

“She has been a great opponent and friend. I think she and I set the bar as far as what it looks like to run in Austin, Texas,” Velásquez said. “Where you can present ideas, where you can present policy, where you can present distinction, and still be respectful and still be able to get along.”

Heading into the runoff campaign, Silva became eligible for money from the city’s Fair Campaign Finance Fund. She was endorsed by D3 candidates who didn’t move on to the runoff like Gavino Fernandez Jr. and José Noé Elías and she dug into policies she said could help advance greater equity in Austin by cosigning community organizers’ call for zero-fare public transit. 

Still, it didn’t get her enough votes for a spot on Council. While last month’s election drew voters eager to weigh in on the state gubernatorial race, the runoff to determine Austin’s next mayor and Council members for districts 3, 5 and 9 saw low turnout. 

Earlier on election day, Silva went to the Daniel E. Ruiz library for poll greeting, noting the dip in voters this time around. “The low voter turnout means that your vote absolutely will matter,” Silva said in a video posted to Instagram. “If you can get a couple of friends to come with you and vote, you can have a huge impact on the future leadership of our city.”  

Ultimately, turnout hovered around 17 percent of registered voters. 

Silva said in a statement to the Monitor, “I am incredibly grateful to everyone who voted and volunteered for and donated to my campaign, and to all who participated in this election more broadly. Democracy is a privilege, and it has been an honor to represent progressive values and the possibility of a brighter future para todos. I look forward to continuing to organize for affordable housing, equitable health care and environmental justice in my community, and wish all the best to José, our next City Council member.”

City Council is set to convene on Jan. 26, 2023.

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Posted In: Elections, District 3